The present invention relates to an arrangement for imparting various kinds of movement to an object, for example, a motor vehicle seat, wherein for each desired movement at least one worm gear adjusting assembly is provided having its worm connected to a driving mechanism through a motion transmitting member and having its worm gear connected to the object to be moved through another motion transmitting member.
Arrangements similar to that of the present invention are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,105,557 and 3,365,163 and German Offenlegungsschrift No. 16 80 608.
In the known prior arrangements, the varied surrounding conditions for the individual adjusting gear assemblies have necessitated that the adjusting gear assemblies be designed differently from one another. Thus, a relatively large number of different components, including expensive gear housings, are required for these assemblies.
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for imparting movement to an object wherein fewer individual components are required.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects are achieved by providing an arrangement for imparting movement to an object including a number of adjusting gear assemblies, each of the gear assemblies operating to impart a particular type of directional movement to the object, wherein the adjusting gear assemblies have gear housings of substantially identical structure.
It is preferred that each of the adjusting gear assemblies is self-locking in the sense that movement cannot be transferred from the worm gear to the worm, so that corresponding movement of the object does not occur as a result of the object's own weight or a load applied to the object.
It is also preferred that different drive mechanisms be used for different desired types of movement, thereby increasing the freedom to mount the present arrangement at various locations.
Further cost reductions can be realized when the worms and the worm gears of all the adjusting gear assemblies are each substantially identical.
It is especially desirable that all the adjusting gear assemblies within the present arrangement are entirely identical.
It is possible to drive two or more output adjusting members from one adjusting gear assembly, so that for a given number of desired types of object movement, the total number of adjusting gear assemblies required can be reduced by connecting the output members from a given adjusting gear assembly to act at different locations of the object to be moved.
A particularly important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the worm can be supported in various angular positions relative to the adjusting gear assembly housing through which it extends. This is accomplished by providing bearing inserts of different shapes for supporting the worm shaft, and arranging a connecting point for a protective jacket of a flexible transmission element at the bearing insert.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claim annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.